


Beware Their Smiles Of Plated Gold

by my_dearest_comma_magnus_bane



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: (the major character death is supposed to be a secret i just thought i should tag it shhh), Angst, Brainwashed!Max, Gen, It gets pretty dark, someone save my child max, takes place after daniel gets out of the hospital, there's some violence but it's not graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 07:56:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11824374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_dearest_comma_magnus_bane/pseuds/my_dearest_comma_magnus_bane
Summary: The cult leader and the brainwashed ten-year-old wreak havoc on Camp Campbell.





	Beware Their Smiles Of Plated Gold

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the wonderful @cartooncommubackup (on tumblr and twitter) of her Brainwashed!Max AU! This is some pretty dark stuff, I feel the need to go write some fluff now.
> 
> Title is from Wolf In Sheep's Clothing by Set It Off

To most observers, the man leaving Sleepy Peak General Hospital would have looked like anyone else. Sure, some might have found it odd that he was wearing white from head to toe, but they would have dismissed it as simply poor fashion choice. They might have wondered where he was going with such urgent purpose, but they would have assumed he had an important place to be. They even might have noticed his shockingly blond hair, but it wasn’t like that was too out of the ordinary.

If someone had looked a little closer at the man, they would have noticed that he did not blink.

If someone had studied him for a little longer, they might have watched him crack his neck an unnatural, unnerving amount.

If someone had truly looked at him for long enough, they would have most likely shivered with fright, gasped, or even cried out. Because the whitewashed man with the blond hair and the 100 watt smile had murder gleaming in his eyes.

* * *

 

Max hated the woods, really. They were dark, full of bugs, and at Camp Campbell, you never knew what sort of terrifying creature would jump out from behind the next bush. No, Max didn’t spend his free time wandering the woods, kicking at rocks and scaring away birds because he particularly  _ liked  _ it there. He did it because it was the only place to get any fucking privacy in this camp. There was only so much of being surrounded by other campers, not to mention David’s disgustingly cheery attitude, that one could take. So Max walked, and listened, and thought about whatever was on his mind. Sometimes he swore if the birds were being extra annoying. In Max’s opinion, the woods were awful, but at least they were mostly quiet and David-free. 

A subtle rustling in the bushes broke through the soft sounds of the forest. Max stopped, glaring in the direction of the sound. Goddamn squirrels. 

It wasn’t a squirrel that stepped out from the bushes. It was a tall, lanky man, dressed entirely in white. It was the man who had tried to murder Max and the rest of the kids at Camp Campbell.

“Daniel? What the fuck??” Max was frozen in place, staring up at the grinning cult leader. 

Daniel stepped towards the camper. “Watch the language there, kiddo!”

Max began to back away slowly. “W-Why are you here?” he asked, fear starting to work itself across his features.

Daniel cracked his neck, and the sound seemed deafening in Max’s ears. “Why, I just want to make you happy, Max. I want to make allllll of you happy.” 

Max didn’t respond. He just turned and ran, his heart beating in his throat, his breathing short and shallow, and one thought racing through his mind.  _ I have to warn them. I have to warn them. I have to _ _ — _

And then there was a hand on his wrist, and a sweet-smelling rag over his nose and mouth before he could scream, a brief moment of struggle, and then the light was gone and so was Max.

* * *

 

Daniel carried Max back to his car to wait for the kid to wake up. He really hoped this new purification method worked. He wouldn’t want to lose this one, Max seemed pretty smart, the campers trusted him, and Daniel had the feeling he would be useful in the future. Plus, Daniel had spent countless hours trying to find a way to put the effects of the purification sauna into a liquid that could be soaked into a cloth and inhaled — He didn’t want all that work to be for nothing. He had started working at it during the long days that he was caged in that dreadful hospital, all because David had tricked him into drinking his own poison — er, elixir. Boy, was he going to make that one pay. Daniel grinned wider at the thought.

The man laid the child in his arms across the back seat of the car, then sat down in the driver’s seat, watching him intently.  If the liquid worked as it was supposed to, Max would wake up any minute now. Sure enough, he began to stir, his eyes blinking wearily. Daniel leaned closer, holding his breath. Max sat up slowly.  His eyes locked onto Daniel’s.

A huge smile broke out across his face. “Daniel!” he cried, sounding like a little kid in a candy shop. His eyes, with pupils blown wide, looked up at the man with loyalty and admiration. 

Daniel exhaled, relieved. It had worked, thank god. He didn’t want to have to clean up a body this afternoon. “Howdy, Max! How are you feeling?”

“Wonderful! I feel so happy and… cleansed!” The camper looked positively blissful, and Daniel wondered when the last time was that he’d felt this way was. He doubted it had been for a long time, based on what he knew about Max. 

“Well, whaddya think about helping all your friends to feel this way too?” Daniel proposed. 

“That would be fucking great!!”

“Language.”

“Oops! Sorry!” Max put a hand over his mouth and giggled. 

Daniel leaned back towards where Max was sitting and lowered his voice. “If you want to help your friends, Max, you have do everything I say. Okay?”

“Okay!” Max leaned forward, hanging on Daniel’s every word.

“Go find David. Don’t let anyone else see you. Take him to the Quartermaster's store and keep him quiet. You may have to, ah, restrain him. Bring David out when I tell you to, and don't come out before then. Meanwhile, I'll be helping your friends Ascend to the next realm!” Daniel scanned Max’s face to make sure there was no protest or fear there, but all he found was wide-eyed enthusiasm.

“Sounds great!” The boy looked overjoyed, and Daniel couldn't help but reach back to pat his head. 

“There's rope in the back, and some new clothes. Oh, and,” Daniel paused, fishing his favourite knife out of the bag he had been carrying and handing it to Max, “Take this, you might find it useful. Try not to get carried away, though — we want him alive.”

The sun glinting off the curved edges of the blade was almost as bright as Max’s smile.

* * *

 

David closed the nature magazine he had been reading and looked out the window of his cabin. Boy, it sure was a beautiful afternoon! It had been nice to take a break, but it was nearing dinner time, and he ought to get back to the campers. You could only give those kids so much free time before something dangerous or possibly illegal happened. As he stood up, David heard someone knocking at the door. It must be a camper, he mused, Gwen had her own set of keys. The door creaked as he opened it.

“Max?” The ten-year-old stood with his hands behind his back, staring up at David with an expression that the counsellor couldn't quite place. “Why, what a pleasant surprise! What brings you here?”

Max didn’t answer, only smiled widely. David found this a little odd, but tried to brush it off. It was good that Max was happy! Maybe all those walks in the woods had helped him connect to nature and discover the joy of Camp Campbell.

“David, I need you to come with me.” Max gestured towards the trail leading to the Quartermaster’s Store. 

David hesitated. Something about Max seemed more than a little off. “Is that a new sweater, Max?” he asked.

“Yup! Daniel gave it to me! He also gave me this!” Max drew a menacing-looking knife with a jagged blade from behind his back, pointing it casually towards David.

David was so shocked by the weapon in the boy’s hand that he barely registered that Max had said “Daniel”. All David knew was that he had to stop Max from hurting anyone, or himself. He tried to speak in a gentle tone, but couldn’t stop his voice from quavering.

“Hey Max… how about you just give that to me, and then we’ll get you back to the other campers?” He knelt down in front of Max.

They locked eyes for a moment, and for once David wasn’t the one smiling.

“I can’t let you do that, David.”

Before David could comprehend what was going on, Max flipped the knife so he was holding it by the blade and slammed the hilt into the side of David’s head.

* * *

 

It was almost too easy, Daniel thought. He had disguised himself as David (he was lucky they looked so much alike), then dealt with Gwen (a quick kick to the back of the knees, then a cloth pressed against her nose and mouth). He had lured the children into the mess hall with the promise of pizza for dinner, then pumped the purification fumes into the building. It was over almost before they realized what was happening, and Daniel was left with a crowd of grinning, dead-eyed campers that looked at him like he was a god. He almost  _ was  _ a god, Daniel supposed, or at least he held enough power to be one. The children followed him out onto the lawn, where the sun sat just above the horizon. Daniel poured out cups of sickly sweet, purple liquid and handed them out, while explaining that they were all going to Ascend in a calming voice. He let his mind wander as he carried out the task he had done so many times before. 

Daniel stared down at the children in front of him, at their glazed eyes and hands eagerly grasping cups of Kool-Aid. It was so beautiful. The unity, the control, all of it. And now they were going to Ascend. Daniel sometimes lamented that couldn't join them, couldn't just take a sip of the “elixir” and have all his earthly troubles slip away. But no, he still had work to do here. 

Daniel cleared his throat, and everyone’s eyes snapped towards him. He donned his signature smile. 

“Well, drink up!”

* * *

 

“Ughh…” David groaned. Where was he? What had happened? Why was his head throbbing like it was about to split open?

The last question he could try to answer, at least. David went to touch the side of his head that was in pain, but he couldn’t move his hands. They seemed to be bound behind his back. He tried to move his feet, but they too were tied at the ankles “What?” he murmured, still half out of it. Blinking his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room he was in, David tried desperately to remember what had happened.

“Oh good, you’re awake!” A shrill voice cut through the silence, making David yelp and jump. Max stepped out of the shadows, wearing a white hoodie and holding a flickering candle.

Memories came crashing back to David like a tidal wave. How Max had come to his door, how he had knocked him out, how he had spoken about… Daniel? 

“Max?” David said slowly, not wanting to frighten the clearly unstable child. “What’s going on?”

Max grinned. “Nothing that you need to know, David. We’re just going to wait here until Daniel tells us to come outside.” The boy’s grin took on a sinister edge. “He says he’s got some speciallllll plans for you.”

“Hold on, Daniel? He’s here? He’s the one who made you do this?” David’s eyes widened. He was beginning to understand. Suddenly, he noticed that Max’s hand was covered in blood. “Max, you-you’ve hurt yourself!”

Max backed away defensively. “It’s fine! It just… shows how sharp Daniel’s knife is!” Max smiled again, with an insane joy behind his eyes that nearly broke David’s heart.  _ Max must have cut himself when he grabbed the blade to hit me in the head _ , the counsellor thought. He didn’t know if he could help the camper in any way, but he would darn well try.

“Max. Look at me.” Max did warily, keeping his smile plastered on. 

“Max. This isn’t you. You don’t follow other people’s rules. You aren’t this happy-go-lucky person who thinks everything’s perfect. You face the world how it is, Max, and it isn’t always good, and you know that. You don’t hide behind a smile like - like I do. If you got hurt, you wouldn’t just say ‘It’s fine,’ you would be swearing left and right and I would tell you to mind your language and — ” David broke off, a lump in his throat and tears threatening to fall.

“Daniel doesn’t like it when I swear…” Max said softly, his smile starting to falter.

“You aren’t someone who would do this. You may like to mess around, but you would never really hurt someone.” David drew in a shaky breath. Distant recognition seemed to be dawning on Max’s face. His brow furrowed, and he set his curved knife on the ground.  _ It’s working, _ David thought, and spoke again with quiet intensity. 

“You can do this, Max. You can break the spell or whatever he has over you. I know you can. You’re the kid who hates everything and doesn’t listen to anyone, you’re the kid who fixed the Order of the Sparrow staff for me even though you thought it was stupid, you’re the kid who pretends not to have emotions but I  _ know _ you do, Max, you’re the kid who’s  _ stronger than this. _ ”

Max blinked. He shook his head, as if trying to clear out the poison that clouded it. “D-David?” he stuttered. 

“Bring him out, Max! I’d like to show our counsellor the wonderful work I’ve done!” Daniel’s voice from outside pierced the air like a bullet. Max jolted, as if hearing Daniel’s voice had shocked him back into obedience. His dutiful smile snapped back into place and he picked up the dagger from the floor. David felt his heart sink, and the tears he had been holding back stung his eyes.

* * *

 

Max dragged David out of the quartermaster’s store. The evening sky was painted a brilliant red, a colour reminiscent of both royalty and destruction. Daniel was standing in the middle of the field, surrounded by campers slumped on the ground. The setting sun behind him elongated his shadow and made him appear silhouetted. He looked for all the world like a cruel god.

Max’s eye’s lit up as soon as Daniel came into view. Once Daniel motioned that David was in the right spot, Max went bounding over to the man in white like a puppy running to its owner.

“Did I do good, Daniel?” he asked eagerly.

Daniel patted the boy on the head. “You did  _ wonderful _ , Max.” He focused his attention on David, and let out a mirthless laugh. “Why don’t you explain to our pathetic little counsellor here what’s going on, Max?”

“Look, David, they have Ascended!” Max beamed, proud to show off the ‘good work’ that Daniel had done.

David looked at the campers, and — oh god, was that Gwen? — laying at Daniel’s feet. He felt bile rise in his throat.

“Max… they aren’t ascended. Th-they’re dead.”

Daniel glared at David. “Don’t listen to him, Max, he doesn’t know what he’s saying. Your friends are all safe and sound in the next realm.” The calming tones of Daniel’s voice turned to something more dark and commanding. “But if you want to stay with me, or if you ever want to join them, Max, you have to do one more thing for me.”

“Anything, Daniel.”

“Kill David.”

For the briefest of moments, Max froze, unsure. But before he could think, Daniel’s hands were on his shoulders, turning him towards David, giving him an encouraging pat, then a gentle shove towards the shattered man kneeling in the dirt.

Max walked across the grass and stood facing David. With the man on his knees, Max was almost at his height. Max pressed the tip of the dagger against David’s chest, just a few layers of fabric and flesh above where the counsellor’s heart was beating wildly.

Tears made wet streaks down David’s face, tears not only for himself, but for Max, who had been forced to grow up too fast, and now had been forced to become something he was not.

“Max, please. Try to remember, just try, I’m begging you, please, r-remember who you are!” David cried out, a last effort to save both himself and his camper.

Max’s eyes locked with David’s, and suddenly he was drowning in a whirlpool of memories.

Max saw blazing bonfires on cool summer nights. He saw friends smiling and going on stupid adventures with him. He heard guitar music and people singing. He saw the awkward hugs and hair ruffles from David that he swore he hated (he didn’t, of course).

But he also saw loneliness. Fear. Parents shouting downstairs as he hid in his room with a pillow over his head. He felt the pain of keeping all his emotions balled up until they weighed him down like lead, because he was too afraid to show weakness. He saw himself waking up from nightmares and being afraid to cry out for help, because the real monsters weren’t under his bed or in his dreams.

And through all this, he saw Daniel. Asking if he wanted to be happy. Offering peace, security, and kindness.Offering Max a way to be rid of his troubles for good, giving him a place where he wouldn’t have to be lonely or afraid ever again.

In that moment, the choice seemed obvious.

Max’s eyes glazed over. His face twisted into a sickeningly happy smile. He plunged the knife into David’s chest.

He could barely hear the scream as he walked back to Daniel.

**Author's Note:**

> Well I hope you... enjoyed... or something. Sorry for the angst. Comments are v much appreciated!!


End file.
